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To help homeowners rebuild after Hurricane Irma, centers open in Lee, Collier

As some Southwest Florida residents continue to struggle to recover from Hurricane Irma's wrath more than a year later, state officials opened assistance centers in Collier and Lee counties Wednesday.

The $616 million program, a partnership between the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will provide federal funding to help families whose homes were damaged significantly or destroyed by the storm.

The initiative — called Rebuild Florida — aims to prioritize the communities that were hit the hardest by Irma, which made landfall in the Keys before coming ashore in Southwest Florida on Sept. 10, 2017. Centers staffed with case managers who help residents enroll in the program are opening in counties from Monroe to Duval.

Alena Sager shared this photo of her horse Katie during Hurricane Irma. Katie rode out the storm on the patio that Alena and her husband, Bob, converted into a stable. Alena writes: “I rode out many hurricanes in Naples, having moved here in 1973. No disrespect to Wilma, but she was like a tropical storm compared to Irma.” Alena Sager

Alena Sager shared this photo of her horse Katie during Hurricane Irma. Katie rode out the storm on the patio that Alena and her husband, Bob, converted into a stable. Alena writes: “I rode out many hurricanes in Naples, having moved here in 1973. No disrespect to Wilma, but she was like a tropical storm compared to Irma.” Alena Sager

Theresa Galante’s husband, Tony, at the Estero Recreation Center during Hurricane Irma. “I would like to praise the National Guard and the Salvation Army. I will never forget how they treated us. I’ve adopted one of the National Guardsmen as my honorary grandson. He’s still in our lives through texting and he will be in our hearts forever.” Theresa Galante

Theresa Galante and her husband, Tony, stayed at the Estero Recreation Center during Hurricane Irma. “I would like to praise the National Guard and the Salvation Army. I will never forget how they treated us. I’ve adopted one of the National Guardsmen as my honorary grandson. He’s still in our lives through texting and he will be in our hearts forever.” Theresa Galante

Theresa Galante and her husband, Tony, stayed at the Estero Recreation Center during Hurricane Irma. “I would like to praise the National Guard and the Salvation Army. I will never forget how they treated us. I’ve adopted one of the National Guardsmen as my honorary grandson. He’s still in our lives through texting and he will be in our hearts forever.” Theresa Galante

The “fan” that was used after the generator broke on Theresa Galante’s last night at the Estero Recreation Center. Young men tore up cardboard boxes into small enough pieces so others could use as fans. “It still brings tears to my eyes to think how wonderfully strangers work together during a crisis.” Theresa Galante

The effort is geared to aid the state's most vulnerable populations, including low- to moderate-income individuals, the elderly, those with disabilities, and families with young children, said Erin Gillespie, deputy chief of staff at the Department of Economic Opportunity.

"We know that right now in Collier County there are families that are still struggling to fully recover," she said. "And that's what this program is for."

While assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is meant to make homes livable immediately after a storm, the federal housing dollars for Rebuild Florida are allocated to help with a long-term recovery for homeowners after other resources, such as private insurance already have been tapped, Gillespie said.

"It is intended to come in a year after a disaster," she said. "And so just like in (Hurricane) Harvey in Texas or the wildfires in California, this funding comes out from Congress about a year later and it is intended for unmet needs."

Gillespie said the program is projected to repair or replace "thousands of homes," though the exact number will depend on the extent of the damage and how many residents sign up for the assistance.

In Collier, some of the communities that took the brunt of Irma were mobile home parks and neighborhoods with manufactured homes. In some cases, those homeowners may be able to have their home replaced entirely, Gillespie said.

"For people with mobile homes, many times they end up getting a replacement mobile home instead of repairs because the damage exceeds what it's worth — the value of the home — or you can't repair it enough to make it withstand a future storm," Gillespie said.

The program, which is open to residents who own their homes and also to owners of rental properties, was first announced by Gov. Rick Scott and HUD Secretary Ben Carson in June.

Officials opened the first recovery center in the Florida Keys on Monday. Other centers are planned to open this week in Miami-Dade, Broward, Brevard, Duval, Polk and Orange counties, Gillespie said. More may be added on an as-needed basis, she said, and three buses acting as mobile centers will begin touring communities, including Immokalee, next week.

The Lee and Collier centers — located at 2295 Victoria Ave. in Fort Myers and 3050 Horseshoe Dr. N. in East Naples, respectively — serve as local resources for homeowners to enroll in the program. At the centers, which are open Monday through Saturday, case managers will help eligible homeowners complete the registration process.

Eligible residents won't receive funds directly, won't select their own contractors and won't contract directly with construction businesses. Instead, the program will manage and complete the construction process for repairs on behalf of the homeowners.

"We find licensed and insured contractors to come out and do the work," Gillespie said. "So the individual doesn't receive money."

Those who qualify for the assistance will be required to enter into an agreement with the state setting forth the terms and conditions of the program and a contract for construction services. Once the process is completed and homeowners sign the contract agreement repairs will begin.

Homeowners also may visit RebuildFlorida.gov or call the program's customer center at 844-833-1010 to receive assistance with registration.